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India-Sri Lanka Relations
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Details
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Historical and Cultural Ties
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- The relationship between India and Sri Lanka is steeped in history, with cultural and religious exchanges dating back thousands of years.
- Buddhism, which originated in India, is the major religion in Sri Lanka and forms a significant cultural bridge between the two countries.
- The Ramayana, an ancient Indian epic, also reflects historical links, with Sri Lanka featuring prominently in the narrative.
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Economic Relations and Trade
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- India is one of Sri Lanka’s largest trading partners, with trade encompassing a wide range of goods and services.
- The India-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (ISFTA), which came into effect in 2000, has significantly enhanced bilateral trade.
- However, negotiations for an expanded Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) have faced hurdles, reflecting the complexities of economic integration.
- Additionally, India contributes to investment and development projects in Sri Lanka, spanning infrastructure, energy, and community development programs, especially in the post-civil war reconstruction phase.
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Political and Strategic Dimensions
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- The political relationship between India and Sri Lanka has seen its share of ups and downs, influenced by internal dynamics within Sri Lanka, including its civil war, and the geopolitical contest in the Indian Ocean region.
- India’s involvement in Sri Lanka’s ethnic conflict in the 1980s and the subsequent Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) operation have left a lasting impact on bilateral perceptions.
- In recent years, both nations have sought to rebuild trust and strengthen diplomatic and security ties, recognizing their shared interest in maintaining regional stability and security.
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Security and Defense Cooperation
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- India and Sri Lanka have increasingly focused on enhancing security and defense cooperation to address shared challenges such as maritime security, counter-terrorism, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations.
- Joint military exercises, high-level defense dialogues, and training exchanges are components of this growing security partnership.
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Issues and Challenges
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- Despite the strong ties, the relationship has faced challenges, including issues related to the fishing rights of Tamil Nadu fishermen in the Palk Strait, concerns in India over China’s growing influence in Sri Lanka through infrastructure projects, and the political sensitivities surrounding the ethnic Tamil population in Sri Lanka.
- Both countries continue to navigate these issues through dialogue and diplomatic engagement.
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Recent Developments and Future Prospects
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- Recent years have seen efforts to deepen economic cooperation, with initiatives to enhance connectivity through ports, energy links, and people-to-people contacts.
- The shared challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic have also brought the two countries closer, with India providing vaccine assistance to Sri Lanka under its “Vaccine Maitri” initiative.
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